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Content archived on 2024-05-07

New Targets for Antifungal Therapy - Molecular Biology of Dimorphism in the Human Pathogen Candida Albicans

Objective

To search systematically for morphogenic genes (gene disruption by transposon insertion, differential mRNA display)
To analyse the early events in morphogenesis involved in the regulation of the cell cycle and the transcription regulation
To analyse the late events, e.g. the establishment of cell polarity by the actin cytoskeleton, vesicle transport and regulation of cell wall synthesis

Candida albicans is the most common fungal pathogen of humans. It is capable of a dimorphic transition between two growth forms. The hyphal form appears well adapted to penetrate epithelia, and hence this growth form probably plays an important role in the progression from superficial to deep-seated infections. However, the molecular mechanisms by which hyphal growth is controlled in C. albicans remain obscure. This is partly due to the genetic intransigence of C. albicans which is diploid and asexual. However, the recent development of new tools for the molecualr dissection of this yeast is now allowing rapid progress which will bear fruit in the near future.
Yarrowia lipolytica also provides a valuable model to study the regulation of fungal dimorphism. Like C. albicans it is dimorphic, but it is an apathogenic yeast which has been under genetic and molecular investigation for several years. Involvement of Y. lipolytica will definitely increase the scientific value of the project, because like C. albicans, its hyphae are different structurally to the pseudohyphae of S. cerevisiae. Conclusions made from results obtained on S. cerevisiae are not always directly applicable to C. albicans.
In this context the subprojects will study one specific aspect of morphogenesis, i.e. the regulatory hierarchy that controls the switch from a yeast cell to a hypha. The individual groups will collaborate in three complementary lines of investigation, indicated on the top of this page.

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Coordinator

Hans-Knoll-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung e.V.
EU contribution
No data
Address
11,Beutenbergstrasse
07745 Jena
Germany

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Total cost

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Participants (6)

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